Plate-holder.



L. J. VOUGH.

PLATE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26. 1909 950,522. Patented Mar. 1,1910.

E l l avwewtcm WWW Lz man J 2611 rrn LYMAN J. VOUGH, OF DUSHORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLATE-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

Application filed. July 26, 1909. Serial No. 509,530.

To all whom it may concern:

it known that I, LYMAN J. VoUorI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dushore, in the county of Sullivan and btate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plate- Holders, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in that class of devices or clamps which are designed to secure a plate adjacent to the edge of a table; and has for its object to prevent the plate from slipping or being accidentally knocked from the table.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which will securely hold the plate in position and is more especially designed with reference to childrens plates.

Another object is to provide an efficient plate holder which is so formed as to support the knife, fork, and napkin.

A. further object is to provide an extremely simple device of this character, which is formed of a single length of wire, which may be inexpensively manufactured,

and may be advantageously employed on ship board to prevent the movement of plates on the table during the rolling of the vessel.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a top plan view showing a plate held in position by means of my improved holder. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view. Fig. 3 is a front view with the plate in position.

My improved plate holder is devised, primarily to prevent children from pushing or removing the plate from the table, while at the same time the free movement of the arms and use of the knife and fork will be permitted, the device forming no obstruction whatever. To this end, I have provided a single length of resilient wire which is bent to provide the bowed side portions 5, the extremities of which are straightened or angularly disposed with relation to the plate l l l as shown at 6. These straightened portions (3 are disposed adjacent to each other, and are formed with the rings '7 which are adapted to receive and hold an ordinary napkin. inwardly of the rings 7 and integrally formed with the wire are the hooks 8, in which are placed the table knife and fork. The for ard ends of the bowed portions 5 are bent downwardly and rearwardly at the edge of the table A as shown at 9. The extremity of the rearwardly extending portions is looped as at 10 to provide a firm bearing portion on the surface of the table. It is now forwardly extended and bent as at 11, around the edge of the table and beneath the same. The wire is again extended rearwardly, and coiled as shown at 12, to secure the necessary strength and resiliency of the device. The wire is projected beyond the spring coils 12, and is formed with the central longitudinally disposed connecting portion 13. The horizontal portion 13 is extended forwardly between the side portions 19, and materially adds to the strength and e'lticiency of the holder.

Plate engaging clips 14 are secured to the bowed side members 5, and may be positioned thereon at any point desired. These clips or clamps 14 are soldered or otherwise secured to the wire, and are formed of the curved spring metal plates 15, which are adapted to :l'rictionally engage upon either side of the edge of the plate B, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In operation, the device is placed in position as shown in Fig. 2, the portions 10 and 13 of the wire at either side of the device being disposed above and beneath the table respectively. The spring coils 12 will securely hold these portions of the device in engagement with the table and prevent any movement of the body of the holder. To place the plate in position between the resilient arms 5, it is only necessary to grasp the same and spring them laterally in opposite directions, the plate being then placed in position, and the spring members 15 will engage upon the edge of the plate as before described upon the release of the arms 5. It will therefore be seen that it is impossible for any accidental knock or jar of the table, or similar movement of the plate, to knock the latter from the table.

The device is particularly eflieacious in holding the plates upon tables on ship board, as during stormy weather many plates are knocked from the table and broken owing to the pitching or rolling of the vessel. By providing the napkin holders 7 and knife and fork holders 8, these articles will always be in convenient position for use, and will allow the diner greater comfort and convenience than the ordinary disposition of these articles. They will be so positioned and supported as to present a neat and attractive appearance when the device is adjusted in position, and at all times be within convenient reach of the user.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a very simply constructed plate holder which may be quickly adjusted in position upon the plate and table, and will absolutely prevent any accidental movement of the plate. The device may be inexpensively manufactured out of spring steel wire, or if desired, may be made of nickel, gold, or silver plate. The holder is highly eflicient and of great durability in use, and may be extremely useful for a variety of purposes.

What is claimed is:

l. A plate holder consisting of a single integral wire bent to provide the oppositely bowed plate engaging side portions. at each end thereof, rings formed on the extremities of said. wire, rearwardly extending table engaging portions disposed below the plane of said side portions and having loops formed at their inner ends, said wire extending forwardly of the bowed portions and rearwardly beneath the table, and a horizontally disposed portion connecting the rear ends of said side portions.

2. A plate holder consisting of a single integral Wire bent to provide the oppositely said rings, the forward ends of said bowed portions extending rearwardly below the bowed side portions, one end of said por plane thereof and upon the surface of the table, said rearwardly extending portions having loops formed at their inner ends, the wire being extended forwardly of the bowed portions, and bent around the edge of the table and extended inwardly beneath the same, and a horizontally disposed portion connecting the rear ends of said side portions.

3. A plate holder consisting of a single length of wire bent to provide the plate engaging side portions, said side portions having rings formed upon their extremities, hooks integrally formed with said wire, adjacent to said rings, resilient plate engaging clamps secured to said side portions, the outer ends of said side portions being inwardly extended and engaging with the surface of the table, then forwardly extended in advance of the sideportions, the forwardly extending portions being bent around the edge of the table, and the wire extending inwardly therefrom, said wire being coiled between the forward bent portions thereof and their inner ends, and a horizontally disposed portion forwardly ex tended between its ends and connecting the rear ends of the side wires.

In testimony w iereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LYMAN J. VOUGH. Witnesses ALICE VARBURTON, A. N. VARBURTON. 

